Envelope for photographs



(No Model.)

v H. G. LAVETTE.

ENVELOPE FOR PHOTOGRAPHS, &c.

No. 460,264. v P t nted\Sept.Z9,1891.

Wa N l m 23m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY o. LAVETTE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENVELOPE FOR PHOTOGRAPHS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,264, dated September 29, 1891. Application filed June 22, 1891. Serial No. 397,020. (No model.)

To all whom it 77%(61/0072067771.

Be it known that I, HARRY O. LAVETTE, a citizen of. the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of 'Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Envelopes for Photographs or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a construction of envelope particularly adapted for the transmission of photographs and like matters by mail. Prior to my invention an envelope for such purpose has been formed by providing a blank consisting of a rectangular body portion having four side flaps and containing a re-enforcing piece laid against the inner side of said body portion and held therein byapiece of paper gummed both to the re-enforcing piece and the inner side of one of the flaps, the purpose of the re-enforcing piece being to stiffen the envelope.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a stiffer and stronger construction of envelope for the purpose aforesaid, to avoid all danger of the inclosed photograph becoming bent, and to more conveniently adapt the envelope for a number of photographs, pictures, cards, and the like.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists'in matters hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a blank for forming myimproved double re-enforced envelope.- Fig. 2 represents the blank with the two re-enforcing pieces applied. Fig. 3 is a section on line a: an in Fig. 2. Fig. 4. represents the front of the folded envelope, and Fig. 5 represents the back of the same.

In carrying out my invention I form an envelope-blank A, which comprises the two main body portions 1 and 2, respectively, for forming the front side and the rear side of the folded envelope. The blank also comprises a series of marginal flaps, which are formed along the ends and outer side edges of the body portions 1 and 2. The body portion 1, which serves to form the front side of the folded envelope, is provided with end flaps 3 and a side flap I, which said flaps are to be gumnied along their edge portions, so as to permit the envelope to be sealed. The body portion 2, which serves to form the back or rear side of the envelope, is provided with end flaps 5 and a side flap 6, which said flaps are to be gummed for the purpose, of securing them upon one of the re-enforcing pieces. The blank A comprises, as aforesaid, the two sides or body portions 1 and 2, which are in effect separated from one another or determined by the fold-line 7, and severally characterized by their respectively-allotted flaps.

To the inner side of the body portion 1 I apply a rectangular re-en forcing piece B, of stout material, such as pasteboard or the like, and to the inner side of the bodyportion 2 I apply a like re-enforcing piece 0. The re-enforcing pieces B and O are separated by a sufficient space along the fold'line 7 to'permit the blank to be folded along such line and thereby bring the re-enforced body portions 1 and 2 toward one another, it being understood that the width of the blank along the line of fold and between the two opposing edges t and 9 of the re-enforcing pieces constitutes a flexibleconnection between the re-enforced sides or front and back body portions of the envelope, and also forms a connection sufficiently Wide to adapt the envelope for the reception of one or more photographs, cards, or the like.

The reenforcing piece 0 is laid against the inner side of the body portion 2 of the blank and is secured in place by the flaps 5 and 6, which are folded over upon it, as in Fig. 2, and gumrned or pasted down upon what will be its inner side when the envelopeis folded. These flaps 5 and 6 can be made comparatively narrow, as shown, it being seen that although made narrow they will not only conceal the edges of the re-enforcing piece 0, but also hold the same in place. I To thus conceal the edges of the re-enforcing piece permits the latter to be simply formed by cutting out a rectangular piece from a sheet, and by making the flaps 5 and (j comparatively narrow I economize stock and avoid unnecessary weight in the envelope. The flaps 3 and 4. are, however, made of sufficient Width to fold well over upon the outer side of the body portion 2 when the envelope is folded, as in Fig.

ICO

5, and also to meet oiie another, as indicated in said figure. These flaps 3 and 4 are to be gummed along their edge portions, so that they can be sealed after the envelope has been folded along its line 7. The flaps 3 and 4 are preferably gurnmed during the manufacture of the envelope, but are desirably left unsealed, so that the user can first open the envelope, as in Fig. 2, next place any desired number of photographs or the like upon the re-enforcing piece B, and then after folding over the re-enforced body portion 0 seal down the flaps 3 and 4. In this way the envelope is more conveniently adapted for the reception of a pack of photographs or cards. When the envelope is thus folded, the body portion 1 forms its front and the body portion 2 forms its back. The flaps 3 and4 also conceal three side edges of the re-enforcing piece B, While the portion of the blank along the fold-line 7 conceals the fourth side edge of such re-enforcing piece. When, therefore, the envelope is folded, the re-enforcing piece B is held not only between the body portion 1 and the contents of the envelope, but it is further held by such portions of the flaps 3 and 4 as fold over three of its side edges, and hence it will only be necessary to lightly paste or gu'ni the body portion 1 to said re enforcing piece.

XVhile I have herein referred to the body portions as having each a flap at one of its side edges and flaps at its ends, I have also in a more general Way referred to a body portion as having flaps along three of its sides, it being understood that the three sides include what may be more specifically termed one side and two ends.

What I claim as my invention isv An envelope for the purpose set forth, comprising the body portions 1 and 2, respectively forming its front and back and unitedalong the fold-line 7, flaps 3 and 4 along three side edges of the body portion 1, flaps 5 and 6 along three side edges of the body portion 2, a re-enforcing piece 13, applied to the body portion 1, and a re-enforcing piece 0, applied to the body portion 2 and having three of its side edges protected by flaps 5 and 6, which are folded over and secured upon it, substantially as described.

HARRY O. LAVETTE.

Witnesses:

FREDK. H. MILLs, A. WARD. 

